Cupar Arts Festival set to launch this weekend

Industrial sites, a courtroom and even old closes are among the spaces being used as a backdrop to Cupar Arts Festival, which begins next week .
Juliana Capes, who's creating a colourful installation at Cupar Arts Festival from unwanted umbrellasJuliana Capes, who's creating a colourful installation at Cupar Arts Festival from unwanted umbrellas
Juliana Capes, who's creating a colourful installation at Cupar Arts Festival from unwanted umbrellas

The event, which has its official launch on Saturday, features an impressive line-up of contemporary artists, who will present artworks and performances in unconventional venues and public spaces across the town.

Running from June 18 to 25, the festival will celebrate Scotland’s Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design.

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It will include works from some of Scotland’s most significant contemporary artists , including Charles Avery, Chad McCail and the recently- announced Scotland representative at the 2017 Venice Biennale, Rachel MacLean.

One of the few curated visual art festivals in Scotland, Cupar Arts Festival 2016 will make use of a series of unconventional spaces such as hoarding on industrial sites; the town’s historic County Buildings and courtroom; Burgh Chambers and churches, and the medieval closes of the town.

Artworks will be exhibited both within venues and outside in public spaces, enabling visitors to experience the artworks by both seeking them out and by stumbling across them.

But it is not only visual art that will bring this year’s festival to life - there’ll also be an eclectic range of live music, artist events, children’s activities and poetry.

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Gayle Nelson, festival director, said: “I’m delighted to be able to bring some of the strongest artists working today to Cupar Arts Festival this year.

“The festival will showcase fantastic artists, great musicians and a plethora of events for all to enjoy.

“To see this outstanding programme of artists come together in this rural market town is really wonderful and I know visitors will enjoy and be stimulated by the artwork they discover.”

Previously an autumn event, Cupar Arts Festival 2016 will take place over one week in June incorporating the summer solstice.

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The festival has used the longest day to inspire its theme of liminality - a precise point where one phase ends and another begins.

Cupar Arts Festival is supported with funding from the National Lottery through the Creative Scotland Open Project Fund, EventScotland, a team within the VisitScotland Events Directorate, and Fife Council’s Strategic Events Investment Fund.

Paul Bush OBE, director of events at VisitScotland, said: “We are delighted to be supporting the Cupar Arts Festival for the first time, through our National Events Programme.”

For more information on the festival visit www.cupararts.org.uk. Access to all events is free of charge.

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